Montana has become the first US state to ban TikTok
Greg Gianforte has signed a new law that makes it illegal for Google and Apple’s app stores to offer TikTok. Citizens who use TikTok are not penalized. The law is set to go into effect on January 1, 2024, but legal hurdles will likely have to be overcome before then. For example, lawsuits are expected to be filed against the ban on the basis of the right to free speech.
In many Western countries, Chinese tech company ByteDance’s app for government employees has already been banned. The app has more than 1 billion users worldwide and is widely used in the US and Europe. There are concerns that Chinese authorities and secret services may use the app to collect information from users or to influence users. The company has rejected such allegations.
Dutch ban
In March, Amsterdam officials were banned from using TikTok on work phones. Councilor Touria Meliani (ICT) asked administrators to remove the app from work phones and private devices with access to work data as soon as possible.
TikTok is also not recommended for national use. Foreign Minister Alexandra Van Hoevelin called on government officials to remove the app from their work phones and the VVD also deleted her account.
“Pop culture enthusiast. Unable to type with boxing gloves on. Analyst. Student. Explorer.”